I really, really love commissioning artwork to go with my books. Having something to look at helps me focus in a weird way that's difficult to explain without maddened waving of my hands and possibly a few declarations of "Ice worms, dammit!" One of my favorite artists to commission is the ever-lovely Amy Mebberson, who did the art for my 2008 thank you card. She has since gone on to better and brighter things, becoming an artist for Boom! Studios, which doesn't leave her much time for private commissions...so when she opened briefly for specialized commissions to be picked up at the San Diego International Comic Convention, I jumped on it with both feet. Victory!

...of course, now I had to decide what to ask her for. I settled, after much deliberation, on the lovely Miss Sarah Zellaby, arguably the oddest of the current crop of Healy girls. She was adopted by the Bakers (Evelyn Price-Healy's parents) after being orphaned at an early age—if you can call "losing the host family your biological parents brood parasitized you to" being "orphaned." Sarah would. She was too young to know what she was at the time, and she still misses her human family.

Sarah's a cuckoo. A telepathic, ectothermic (cold-blooded) mammalian parasitic wasp with a decentralized circulatory system (she has no heart). She's also a mathematician, and a bit embarrassed about her species, so her cousins try not to give her too much grief about it. Verity would be dead a dozen times over if not for Sarah. This has not helped Sarah in her quest to get a life that doesn't involve textbooks, tomato milkshakes, and apologies.

I give you...Sarah:



Squee.

The combination Westercon/Conchord was wonderful, and I had an amazing time, full of joy and delight and wonder. I am so very grateful to have been their Music Guest of Honor. As is the standing tradition around here, I now present my concert set list, including annotation and lyric links, because that's what makes it useful.

The Westercon/Conchord list, with arrangement notes, was as follows:

1. "Counting Crows." (Seanan, vocals; Paul Kwinn, guitar; Maya Bohnhoff, backing vocals.)
2. "Mama Said." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, backing vocals; Beckett Gladney, harmonica.)
3. "This Is My Town." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, Paul, backing vocals.)
4. "The Snow Queen Dreams." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar.)
5. "Jack's Place." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, backing vocals.)
6. "Fox Hunt." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, backing vocals; Beckett, harmonica.)
7. "Death Danced at My Party." (Lyrics and music, Talis Kimberley; Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, backing vocals.)
8. "Maybe It's Crazy." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar.)
9. "Vampire Slayer Blues." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar, bastard Watcher.)
10. "What a Woman's For." (Seanan, Maya, vocals; Paul, guitar, innocent scientist.)
11. "Dear Gina." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, backing vocals.)
12. "My Story Is Not Done." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, backing vocals.)
13. "Wicked Girls Saving Ourselves." (Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar; Maya, backing vocals.)

ENCORE: "When I Go." (Lyrics and music, Dave Carter; Seanan, vocals; Paul, guitar, vocals; Beckett, harmonica.)

The bridge for "Wicked Girls" was...

"Now Beckett's an artist, and Vixy's run off with the fairies,
And Kathleen keeps careful account of the treasure she buries,
Sue poses riddles, and Kristine plays tricks,
While Maya sings songs, see which one that she picks,
And the rules that we live by are simple and clear..."

It was a very good set, and I enjoyed it immensely. Thanks again to the sound crew, for keeping everything running silky-smooth, and to my stunt musicians, who went above and beyond the call of duty.

As always: "This Is My Town" is on Pretty Little Dead Girl and Stars Fall Home. "Maybe It's Crazy," "What A Woman's For," and "Dear Gina" are on Red Roses and Dead Things ("Maybe It's Crazy" is also on Pretty Little Dead Girl). "Vampire Slayer Blues" is on Pretty Little Dead Girl. "Counting Crows," "Mama Said," "The Snow Queen Dreams," "Jack's Place," "Fox Hunt," "My Story Is Not Done," and "Wicked Girls" will be on Wicked Girls.

"When I Go" is on When I Go, by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammar. "Death Danced at My Party" is not currently available.

Thanks again to everyone who was there, to Westercon/Conchord for having me, and to Nick, for excellence in cat-herding as he wrangled Kwinns, McGuires, and many, many more.

See you next con!